


Kiss of Life

by Hils



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-08
Updated: 2008-11-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 21:12:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10579569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hils/pseuds/Hils
Summary: Missing scene from The Gates of Avalon because I was wondering how Merlin got Arthur back to Camelot





	

The water was icy and biting but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but Arthur. As he dove down yet, again Merlin wished with everything in his heart that his magic could give him the ability to see under water. All he could see was a dark murkiness and somewhere in its depths, Arthur was dying.

Merlin could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he searched and his lungs felt ready to burst, but he wouldn’t surface again until he had found what he was looking for.

Then he saw it.

It was just a dull glint slowly disappearing from sight, but his heart told him it was Arthur. That gave him the strength to kick with all his might until he reached his prince. He stretched out his fingers, rejoicing when they hooked around Arthur’s armour and he used the weight to pull himself down so that he could wrap his arms around Arthur’s waist. They were still sinking slowly and Merlin had no idea where he was going to find the strength to get them to the surface. He began to kick regardless and was amazed when they began to rise.

As his head burst out from under the water he gulped in air and at the same time pulled Arthur closer to him. They’d made it. They were alive.

“We did it,” he whispered in Arthur’s ear. “You’re safe now. I promise.”

It was only then that he realised how still Arthur was in his arms.

He wasn’t breathing.

With a frantic curse Merlin swam towards the shore, pulling Arthur with him and praying with each passing second that it wasn’t too late.

Getting back to the shore seemed to take forever and Merlin cursed his slow and sluggish movements. If Arthur died because he’d taken too long…

He almost wept with relief when he felt the sand beneath his feet and he dragged Arthur as far as he could before collapsing. His whole body burned with exertion but he couldn’t afford to stop, not even for a minute.

“Arthur?” Merlin brushed his fingertips over Arthur’s cheek, hating how cold his skin felt. “Come on, you idiot. Open your eyes. Please?”

He could feel the tears stinging in his eyes as Arthur continued to lie lifeless beneath him. There wasn’t a single spell that could fix this. He’d failed. Arthur was gone.

Even though his brain was telling him this, he couldn’t bring himself to stop. He shook Arthur, slapped him, pounded his chest in an effort to get him to breathe but nothing worked. Tears were rolling freely down Merlin’s cheeks now as he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Arthur’s lips. It was something he’d never dared to even consider doing when Arthur was alive.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you,” he whispered in a ragged voice. “I never told you but I-“

He was stopped from completing his sentence by a hand clamping down on his shoulder.

“Merlin, what happened?”

It was Gaius. Merlin hadn’t even heard him arrive.

“I was too late,” was all he could reply.

But Gaius was already examining Arthur.

“Merlin, listen to me very carefully. I need you to hold Athur’s nose closed and breathe into his mouth when I tell you.”

“I don’t understand,” Merlin frowned in confusion watching as Gaius started to rhythmically press down on Arthur’s chest.

“Just do it, Merlin!” Gaius snapped in a voice Merlin had never heard him use before. “We can still save him but I need you to do as I say. Now.”

Merlin didn’t need to be told twice. He pinched Arthur’s nose and breathed into his mouth when Gaius gave the signal.

“Come on,” he whispered between breaths. “Come back to me.”

With each breath he forced into Arthur’s lungs Merlin’s heart sank a little. Whatever Gaius was doing it didn’t seem to be working. He wouldn’t stop though. He’d spend the rest of his life breathing for Arthur if that’s what it took.

As he leaned down to breathe for Arthur again he almost fell over backwards when the prince’s eyes snapped open.

“Arthur! Are you all right?”

Arthur responded by rolling onto his side and coughing up what seemed to be several gallons of water.

Tears of joy rolled down Merlin’s cheeks as he stroked Arthur’s hair to soothe him.

“Gaius, you did it! You saved him!”

Gaius simply smiled fondly back at him. “I think you did most of the work, Merlin.”

But Merlin’s attention was already back on Arthur who had stopped coughing and was lying still again, his eyes fixed on Merlin in confusion and wonder. As he gave Merlin a small smile it was all Merlin needed to tell him that Arthur was himself again. Relief flooded through him as Arthur reached a hand up to touch his face.

“It’s all right, Arthur. I’m here. You’re safe.”

There was that smile again. Shaky and uncertain but clear. Then Arthur’s eyes closed and his hand dropped back to his side. Merlin looked at Gaius with alarm.

“It’s all right, Merlin,” Gaius reassured. “He’s simply exhausted. Come on, let’s get him back to Camelot.”

It was only then that Merlin realised that he hadn’t thought to bring a horse to take them home. He’d been so intent on getting to Arthur that running was the only thing he’d been able to think of. Arthur was right, he really was an idiot, and Merlin found he was looking forward to hearing Arthur tell him as much.

Luckily Gaius had the foresight to come on horseback and he led the mount down to the lakeside.

“Help me lift him.”

Even though his muscles still ached from pulling Arthur to shore, Merlin gently cradled the prince in his arms and helped Gaius lift him onto the horse.

“You’ll need to sit with him to stop him from falling,” Gaius said.

Merlin didn’t protest. He felt beyond weary and wasn’t sure he could walk back to Camelot even if he wanted to. Gaius had to help him onto the horse but as soon as he was seated he pulled Arthur back against his chest. Arthur was breathing softly and Merlin had never felt happier. Gaius said nothing but simply wrapped a blanket around Arthur, half to warm him and half to conceal him from the guards. It was imperative that Uther never learned what happened.

Arthur’s head lolled back onto Merlin’s shoulder and Merlin pulled him closer as Gaius wrapped a blanket around him too. Then he slowly led the horse back through the forest towards Camelot.

Merlin smiled and allowed himself to drift.

* * *

Gaius not so subtly busied himself in Arthur’s room while Merlin removed the prince from his armour and wet clothes before dressing him in some dry ones and settling him in bed. He had to admit that dressing Arthur was much easier when Arthur was awake and able to stand up.

Gaius brought over a chair and took a seat beside Arthur’s bed.

“I’ll keep an eye on him. You should change out of those wet clothes.”

Merlin hadn’t eve realised he was still wearing them, and he almost laughed at the notion of leaving Arthur before he woke up.

“I’m fine.”

“Merlin,” Gaius sighed. “What would Arthur say if he found out you’d made yourself ill?”

Merlin grinned. “He’d probably complain that there was no one to shine his boots.”

He muttered an incantation to dry his clothes and ignored the look of exasperation Gaius was giving him. Instead he straightened the covers over Arthur and pulled up another chair.

“What are we going to tell him when he wakes up?” Merlin asked as he took a seat beside Gaius.

“I’m not sure. I suppose it depends what he remembers. Enchantment tends to have strange effects on the mind. What’s important is that he doesn’t know magic was involved. If Uther finds out he’ll increase his hunt for magic users in the kingdom and that could put you in danger. We’ll just have to improvise.”

Merlin shook his head with wide eyes. “Oh, no. I’m no good at improvising and I don’t want to end up back in the stocks.”

Gaius smiled and patted Merlin’s hand gently. “I’m sure Arthur won’t allow that.”

Merlin wasn’t convinced.

Arthur began to stir and Merlin braced himself. This was how things were going to be between them. A friendship based on lies. All he could do was hope that one day he’d be able to tell Arthur the truth. About everything.

_I love you_

The End.


End file.
